Clarendon Enterprise publisher Roger Estlack was inducted into the Panhandle Press Association Hall of Fame during the association’s 112th annual convention in Hereford last Friday, March 25.
Estlack was recognized for his contributions to the newspaper industry in the Panhandle over the last 26 years.
Following a family history in the local newspaper business which spanned from 1929 to 1974, Estlack has been the editor and publisher of The Clarendon Enterprise since October 1995. During his tenure, he has become a leader of his community, a champion of its progress, and a critic of those who act dishonorably.
He has served on the boards of the PPA, West Texas Press Association, and Texas Press Association; has served as president of both PPA and WTPA; and has been the secretary of PPA since 2013. In 2017, he was recognized with the Harold Hudson Memorial Award by the West Texas Press Association.
As publisher, he has fought for community improvements while covering everything from local events to the hometown boy in the United States Congress. Among the many articles he has written, he has covered Open Meeting Act violations, posted severe weather information, editorialized against religious bigotry, helped bring high speed Internet to local communities, and supported the restoration of the 1890 Donley County Courthouse and the 1946 Mulkey Theatre.
His nomination for the Hall of Fame drew particular attention to his coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“His reports on COVID’s early and deadly impact on Donley County residents, in tandem with those of County Judge John Howard…, created a worthy model for other community newspapers in their coronavirus reporting and coverage. Roger’s live podcasts with local officials during those first few months of COVID … honored the most essential role of a good newspaper: providing a compelling forum for community conversation.”
Upon his acceptance of the Hall of Fame plaque, Estlack encouraged fellow publishers to keep up their commitment to their communities and credited his work to his late parents – Allen and Helen Estlack; his wife, Ashlee; their children, Benjamin and Elaina; his extended family; and Enterprise office manager Tara Allred.
“I could not do any of this without my family and my newspaper family,” he said.
Also on Friday night, former Moore County News-Press publisher Wanda Brooks was inducted into the Hall of Fame as well.
Members of the PPA Hall of Fame are listed on a plaque that is permanently housed at the Saints’ Roost Museum in its newspaper exhibit. Roger Estlack is the sixth Clarendon journalist and the fourth member of the Estlack family to join the Hall of Fame. Other local Hall of Fame members include J.C. Estlack, G.W. Estlack, Ruby Dell Estlack, L.H. Carhart, and E.E. Carhart.
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